[AffreuxLex]

-- Csjarrat --

Your search of body doesn't turn up much.  Her pockets are empty except for the now melted commlink.  On her head you find a small wound oozing blood and brains from what was likely a cranial bomb.  Around her neck you find a silver necklace with a symbol on it that you don't recognize.


-- JDA & Gustovness --

You climb into the back of your respective limos and find that the corporation has spared no expense.  The seats are real, honest-to-god leather.  None of that synthetic stuff that everyone uses.  A chilled bottle of wine sits on ice on the wall and a long table runs down the middle for on-the-go business meetings.  A console on the side of the wall allows for the table to be retracted back into the floor.  You are unable to see the front of the vehicle because of a solid black privacy screen.  Every thing is black and expensive looking.  A small refrigerator holds various other drinks and some snacks as well.  Sitting on the table is a small chip which can be slotted into your commlink.  On it is written "Read Me".


-- JDA --
 
You push a button on the glowing console labelled "Intercom".  A pleasant sounding man with a slight Russian accent answers and you make your requests.

Yes ma'am, I will ensure that everything will be waiting for you when you arrive at the aircraft.  Where should I take you now?


-- Gustovness -

A pleasant sounding man with a slight Russian accent answers your intercom and takes your request.  The vehicle pulls away so smoothly that it barely even feels like it is moving.

[Gustovness]

Cuco pops open the wine bottle and takes a swig straight from the bottle.

This is more like it.

[Csjarrat]

Flea is baffled by the iconography on the necklace, she takes a still image of it with the crappy built-in camera on her commlink and stuffs the necklace into her jacket pocket for safe keeping.
checking she had everything she came in with, Flea heads through the door and into the remaining Limo.

Chikuso, this is nice

Flea took her time opening the letter addressed to her that was sitting on the table. After a minute of careful consideration Flea pops the datachip into her commlink and digests every word before putting it back into the envelope and asking the driver to take her to the downtown parking lot where she left her bike.
Driver, i've been instructed to pass on any requests for the upcoming mission to yourself. I'm going to need a fresh SiN, a good one by the way, and a corporate security license for international firearm ownership and open carry. I'd also like the best mapsoft of the Caribbean league you can possibly get me, and a suitable Linguasoft too. Your colleague mentioned the possibility of an advance payment to cover some equipment? I'm going to need to pick up some suits en-route and could do with a few nuyen to cover them...
Opening a mental terminal, Flea brings up the 'Trix terminal of the nearest suit shop to the parking lot and punches in the sizes required for herself and Cuco for pre-order and collect in-store.
//Matrix Multiple Message 1.0.2b//>>ToTeam:: Guys, I'm off suit shopping, anyone else need stuff while I'm out??//End Message//
NEW MESSAGE:
//Matrix Message Protocol 1.0.2b// Joey, I'm heading over your way. Looks like I'm going to take the job, its a one-day overseas run. Have you got any contacts over in the carib league? i'll need a name in-case the Chikuso hits the fan. Have you got anything shiny in-stock? I could do with a laser sight, and some MP rounds with a bit of punch, got any APDS? I've got cred, dont worry its not going on the tab ;-). Time for a swift soycaf before i ship out? Lv k xx//End Message//


With the work stuff done, Flea took the time to relax, grabbing a real fruit juice from the mini-bar and some real fruit to replenish her energy after the early morning events.
Knowing she had a while to kill in morning traffic, Flea slips into hot-sim and sets her music to loud, feeling the thumping bass kicking her in the gut as the crowd pulsates and dances around her, Flea pushes to the front of the gig, and waits for the message icon to light up....

[AffreuxLex]

-- Gustovness --

It is good wine... Damn good.


-- Csjarrat --

// Message Protocol 1.0.2b
// Message Returned - Undeliverable [Unknown]  Error: 000000#

// Original Message
>> Joey, I'm heading over your way
>> Looks like I'm going to take the job, its a one-day overseas run.
>> Have you got any contacts over in the carib league? i'll need a name in-case the Chikuso hits the fan.
>> Have you got anything shiny in-stock? I could do with a laser sight, and some MP rounds with a bit of punch, got any APDS?
>> I've got cred, dont worry its not going on the tab ;-). Time for a swift soycaf before i ship out?

>>Lv k xx

[Ren]

Puppeteer followed the others to the limousines and got in one. With a swift prayer he threw his usual caution in the wind and took a beer from the fridge - whatever treatment their host wanted to give them, it was already in their bodies. He told the driver the address, smiling slightly at the notion of an elite limo entering that neigbourhood. Although he had some vague ideas what he needed for the trip, he first took the chip and putting it into his commlink, checked its contents.

[Csjarrat]

The crowd was going mental for the the crescendo of the song, the guitarist down on his knees, blasting out the final notes of the solo on his holo-'tar when Flea felt a tap-tap-tap on the shoulder, she spun around expecting it to be joey joining her in-sim, instead it was her system Icon pulsing red, indicating a failed task.
The Sim froze, the crowd in mid-air and Flea immediately dived back into her system node interface.

Message undeliverable? Oh fakku... there's no way that is just a co-incidence...
The hairs on the back of Flea's neck were stood on end and her mind racing with all the possibilities of what could have happened here. hopefully, Joey had just had his commlink stolen or it was rebooting.. unlikely, but a lot more palatable than the alternative.
Flea calls up a diagnostics terminal from her system node and initiates a remote-host-lookup for Joey's commcode, broadcasting a ping to his 'Trix address and requesting a response.
If his node was online, she'd get a response saying so regardless of whether he was logged in or not...

I hope these guys have filtered the comms at my end and not done anything to Joey, oh Shit, what have I done??

[AffreuxLex]

-- All --

You slot the chip into your commlink and a soothing corporate teamwork melody wafts through the air.  A pleasant looking woman appears on your screen and starts to narrate in a tone that sounds just a little too upbeat.

Hello and let me be the first to welcome to our growing family of corporate contractors.  The corporation wishes to thank you for helping out with our latest project.  As an integral part of the corporation, you can rest easy knowing that your actions today will benefit us all in the future.  Included in this contractor's packet, you will find your specific goals as outlined by your designated corporate liaison.  Contact information is also included on this chip should you need to get a hold of your liaison for any reason.  Remember, together we can all build a brighter tomorrow.

The melody turns to an upbeat instrumental pop beat while the image becomes obscured by various brightly colored shapes.  After a few moments the sound and images fade and are replaced by the male voice you heard earlier.

You will arrive in Miami aboard our jet posing as potential investors from the Shiawase Corporation.  You will be provided with corroborative identification and the jet will be decorated with the corporate logos.  You will feign interest in a possible buy out of a minor research division from Renraku.  In recent years Renraku has shown an increasing interest in the biotechnology field but has recently decided to sell off its assets and discontinue further investment.

After clearing customs in Miami, the jet will continue to Paradise Island in the former Bahamas.  The Renraku representative will meet you at the private airport where you will be presented with investor packets.  We expect a tour to be scheduled for the following day.  You will use the packet to locate the research building.  Once you have located the building, you are to notify me with its location then proceed to enter and destroy everything you can reach.  Make it look like you are attempting to kill every last person to protect your identities but you must let some live as witnesses to describe what happened.  Do not let them suspect that you let them go freely.  It is preferable that you do this during a shift change to cause as much collateral damage as possible.  Make noise and get noticed, be sure to wear your Shiawase ID tags.  Bring as much attention upon yourselves as possible but do NOT under any circumstances enter the nano-machine workshop located on the same grounds.  If you need to contact me, my information has been included with this chip.  Memorize it, this chip will be rendered disabled within 5 minutes of being activated.


-- Csjarrat --

// Encrypted message incoming
// Autodecrypt enabled - Protocol 1.0.2b

>> Rut roh! commlink crashed, couldn't message U.
>> the lead turned out to be a dead end.
>> sorry if i worried you. Nothing to report actually.

>> joey



-- Ren --

The beer has a slightly odd taste to it.  It must be some sort of microbrew.  It's not bad.  It's not good either.


-- All --

In short order, you manage to get to the places that you have requested to be taken to.  The voice over the intercom informs you that the car will be waiting in the same spot when you return to return to the airport.

[Csjarrat]

The pulsing system icon returned to green and VR terminal opened to display the incoming message from Joey. Flea's pulse instantly dropped by 30bpm and she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
A second terminal opens to confirm her order is ready for collection "would you like any optional extra's on that suit?" flea checked the box next to the concealable holster for both suits.

//Matrix Message protocol 1.0.2b//Joey, you had me going there for a minute! When I get back i'll buy you a new commlink, a bloody good one. that old thing must be a couple of years old now?!
think i'm going to take the job, I'll be away for a couple of days so will need some kit. Have you got a laser sight or external smartgun (rail mount) and any APDS in stock at the mo?  I've got cred, so it won't be going on the tab ;¬D i could also do with something that goes bang, so if you've got any thermite or anything like that, i'd be interested.
I'm heading over your way shortly if you have time for a swift soycaf before I go? Also, do you have any trusted buddies in the carib league? It would be good to have a name if this job goes south//End Message//

Driver, thanks for that. I need to go sort out a few bits and get hold of some kit before we go, are you ok to wait here for a minute? Actually, while we're waiting. is there any chance "the corporation" can get hold of an "Executive Protector"?, its an SMG built into a briefcase, it'll be a lot more subtle than my usual set-up.
Flea climbs out of the Limo and heads over to the suit shop, drawing a few looks from the passing foot-traffic as she is clearly not wearing typical business exec clothing. Crossing the street, she heads into the store and collects the suits.
[spoiler]is 225 nuyen per suit enough to cover clothing (business quality, non armoured, and the concealable holster)? its basically more expensive clothing that allows us to blend in, rather than getting the Synergist line suit that is fully armoured and costs a fortune for example.[/spoiler]
Flea hangs the suits on the roof rail and gives the driver her address; Driver, i need to sort out a few things so i'll meet you back at my home address in a short while. that'll be the last stop before we head back to the airport. thanks very much!

Checking it is safe to cross, flea heads over the road to the newly built multi-story carpark, feeling the weak sun breaking through the clouds and warming her slightly. It actually wasn't a bad day today, and the sun was a welcome reprieve from the metal prison she thought she wouldn't escape from. Deciding against the lift, flea took off her gecko kit and stuffed it into her satchel bag, deployed her helmet visor and called up the datachip feed
for the last time, memorising the commcode.
Ok, so fly to the Renraku facility, destroy it. make it look like Shiawase did it. seems simple enough, except for a few little things. That Renraku marking inside the drone seems a little out of place for a firm that is launching an attack on Renraku. We're still none the wiser as to who we're even working for here... Could this be a green-on-green? But who would benefit from that? The russian sounded like she was going to spill the beans and thats why they popped her...Renraku stopping investment in biosciences? selling assets? I Wonder if that had anything to do with dad's project..This is going to be a really messy job, but I've got to get into that facility and see what I can find...
Flea checked around to make sure she was out of line of sight of the limo, and reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out the necklace she took from the Elf and studied it hard, now that she felt safe to do so. Any engraving or hallmark might just be enough to get a glimmer of who she was or who she worked for....
[spoiler]int 3, percep 3, active search 3, visual enhance 1 (10d6.hits(5)=3)[/spoiler]

//Agent Interface, v.1.1//Agent, end current search task. Begin new search task: Yama* [category: corporations]//
[spoiler]@GM can you run the extended test for me again, its my MSP R1 agent with R1 browse software. I'll leave it running indefinitely while I'm out and about.[/spoiler]

Flea hammered up the stairs, reaching the sixth floor and spotted her bike exactly where she left it.
She connected to the bike, called up a diagnostics terminal and investigated it's device logs to see if it had been activated or tampered with since she'd last ridden it here and gave it a thorough visual inspection.
[spoiler]int 3, percep 3, active search 3, visual enhance 1 (10d6.hits(5)=3)[/spoiler]

[Gustovness]

Cuco looked around his room, triple checking to make sure he didn't leave anything behind.

I don't like that we're showing our faces to the Renraku.

That's because this whole thing stinks.  You're like a horse with blinders on following that million and half nuyen carrot.

Cuco sat down on the edge of his bed.  He let out a sigh.

This will mean war with the Renraku.  There will be nowhere to hide.  I'll have to spend the rest of my life running away from them.

Or fighting them... There are plenty of jobs against the Renraku at any given time.  What better enemy to make now?  It's not like you have anything to lose except your skin.

Easy for you to say, you have nothing to lose at all.

Trickster threw an arm around Cuco's mannequin in the center of the room that he used for target practice, charred with burns and tattered.

Worse comes to worse, they'll come looking for you and Ashy here will get tortured.  You wouldn't squeal on us though, would you Ashy?

Cuco stood up and paced around the room, hands on his hips, paced back and forth, and occasionally stopped to twirl his mustache.  He looked at his surroundings... at the dive that he lived in.

He drew in another deep sigh.

I guess I should start growing up.

Trickster jumped in front of Cuco with an angry look on his face.

And what the hell is that supposed to mean?

Cuco shook his head and gave his mentor spirit a reassuring grin.

Don't worry, we won't stop having fun... it's just time to raise the stakes is all.

Cuco brought up a matrix search for shops between his place and the airport where a corporate mage might get his threads.

[spoiler]I'm guessing this is such common knowledge it doesn't warrant a roll.[/spoiler]

He threw a duffle bag with his ammo box into the limo and passed the address along to the driver.  As they rolled away from his apartment, he patted himself down to reassure himself that he had equipped his pistol and holster, armor vest, and virtually anything of value that he might need that he already owned on himself.  He ran his fingers along the brim of his brown steeple hat and sat back.

[spoiler]I'm willing to drop up to 1k on a bad ass corp mage suit, preferably something along the lines of a dark brown jacket with a sage green long sleeved dress shirt underneath and a matching dark brown tie and matching slacks with black dress shoes brown laces.  My steeple hat will be worn with this suit.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]In case someone is wondering wtf I'm talking about with my hat, it looks like this but brown: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRkvGTh8L20ZOPAxsymUCKr5Gp3RdHYw31xA9l3dAHo4i1IgWa3TQ[/spoiler]

[AffreuxLex]

-- Csjarrat --

The necklace is very ornate.  The pendant is egg shaped with intricate metalwork and precious stones.  You do a quick image search on the matrix and find that this is possibly a small Fabergé egg.


// Encrypted message incoming
// Autodecrypt enabled - Protocol 1.0.2b

>> Really sorry.  Under the gun and really busy at the moment.  No help from me.

>> joey

-----

// Agent 1.1 - Task Results "Yama"

>> Yama - Russian automotive group.
>> Yama - Hindu god of death
>> Yama - Japanese A corporation.
>> Yama Kings - Rumored free spirits within Hong Kong.
>> Yamatetsu - Former name of AAA corporation Evo.
>> Yamaz - Spanish fashion corporation.

// Task: searching...

Your bike appears to have not been tampered with and is in the same condition as you left it.


-- Gustovness --

Your matrix search turned up several shops along the route but none with what you were looking for.  However you did find one in the downtown area.  You recognize the name of the store as an upscale and ludicrously expensive place but also very posh.  A quick browse through their current inventory shows you a suit that almost perfectly matches what you are looking for except the shirts are silk and the jacket is made of real leather.  The ensemble pushes your budget just a bit at 1250.  Accounting for traffic, it will also add 30 minutes to your drive in each direction.

While scanning through your results you notice your mustache is astonishingly smooth and has an almost silky wet texture to it.  It's not actually wet, just so smooth that it feels that way.

[Csjarrat]

Faberge egg eh, nice. Flea makes a to-do note in her commlink AR feed to "find appraiser on return"

//Matrix Message protocol 1.0.2b// Cuco, got us some threads. you ok with 225NY? specced it with a holster for a piece if you're carrying. no plates in it to keep it cheap, but will at least make us look the part.//End Message//

The bike looked absolutely fine, there was nothing out of place at all and the logs checked out ok too. Flea deployed her visor, synced up its AR feed to the bike and gave the mental command to start the engine.
The mirage purred as Flea eased the throttle open, testing the brakes a couple of times and shifting the engine diagnostics readout into the bottom right of her AR feed. She just didn't trust that her baby hadnt been touched in some way and took some convincing that it was safe to ride.
Gridguide debited her account for the parking and Flea descended the 6 floors of ramps and headed out onto the open road, wondering about the message she'd just received back from Joey. "No help from me, I'm under the gun"... He's a bloody weapons dealer, why would he suddenly not deal weapons?? he must have had an instruction from this lot not to assist...
Right then, better get moving!
Flea opened the throttle and joined the main flow of traffic, heading away from downtown and towards her home. She was going to need some supplies, but it was now a choice of heading to the barren's weapon markets or putting some rounds on her fake SiN the legit way to save time and possible drama with the resident go-gangers.
Feeling time was of the essence, Flea decided against the markets, that will be my last resort..
She instead instructed gridguide to plot her a route to the nearest branch of Dick's hunting and sporting goods stores.

The agent's search results were very interesting indeed, two of them definitely warranted further investigation.
Pulling up to a set of red lights, Flea took the opportunity to issue the agent a new command:

Agent interface 1.1//Agent, please collate the top ten articles for results; >>Yamatetsu and >>Yama, and download them to my to-read folder, organised by article creation date.//

[Ren]

Puppeteer read the instructions on the chip with a gradually darkening face. Then he read it again. The third time still didn't help him understand, what in the high heavens was worth one and a half million in the enclosed instructions. Something smelled fishy, and increasingly rotten by the minute. He then sent a message to the rest of the team... knowing no better label for their ragtag group of miscreants.
//Matrix Message protocol 1.0.1c, compatibility mode//
>>Guys, you reading this? This is a complete mess. Do they really expect us to enter and destroy even a faraway division of a AAA-rated corporation? No offense, but neither of us showed the amount of professionalism that a job of this magnitude requires. Where's our firepower? Where's our matrix support? I'm a decent shot at short-range magical surveillance but that's like a sail against a hurricane. We will be blown away in seconds. This is all beside the notion of the job being about killing possibly dozens of innocent people, with the only seeming reason being wanton destruction. I'm seriously considering opting out of this one and suggest you do the same.
I'm waiting for your answer until i'm out of the car, i'll postpone my decision until then.<<
He didn't speak to them about his suspicion on foul play and double-crossing. Anyone naive enough to not have his own suspicion would deserve being caught in this net of feints and diversions.

[Csjarrat]

//Matrix Quick Reply 1.0.2b//You're not wrong. I can bring some firepower but my experience is in signals, not heavy weapons. My contacts have gone quiet too, I'm wondering whether our "employers" influenced that. With proper planning and equipment I think we could pull off a lightning raid to disrupt the facility, but we'd need to be in very quickly and out very quickly before their response teams could arrive. A fire or gas explosion could serve as a distraction to buy us time, but we've got a lot of waiting around to do for the flight afterwards. My biggest concern is that we go in there and they're waiting for us. I get the idea we're just being toyed with here, there isn't enough information yet. The whole thing about "not entering the nano-fabrication plant" is the biggest question mark. are they trying to protect it if it is an inside job, or are they trying to acquire it for cheap afterwards? If they wanted to sink their competitor they'd just have us blow it sky-high//

[JDA]

Alex after reading the mission brief, We are being set up and screwed over on this one. There hasn't been anything about this whole scenario that has made since. Besides why is it that i feel like once again I'm a corporate employee once again This employment want end with just one mission and  still have no clue as to who is pulling the strings. Oh hell I nreed to place a bet on the game tonight. Alex then calls her bookie and places a 100 nuyen bet on the seattle team for this evening.
Then heads to the Limo to go to the airport. She remembers to tip the driver 25 nuyenTo the driver alex begins a short conversationName is Alex and I appreciate your professionalism. You are         "
speech
action
Thought

[Ren]

//Matrix Message protocol 1.0.1c, compatibility mode//
>>I don't really care about their goals, it is the rarest case when any light is shed on the Johnson's true motives before the run itself. It's just that i'm no combat mage, you're no street sam, and the others are no hackers. We don't have intel, prep, support, and possibly even payment.
>>So, i think my decision is out. Wish the best luck to anyone who still thinks taking on this job. And if you stay or manage to come back, i'll gladly meet you for a beer.<<

Puppeteer waited for the driver to arrive in Puyallup. He was really glad he didn't give his own address to go to, although he didn't have any illusions of the corporation not knowing that. He waited for the car to stop, to tell him not to wait. There were still a few minutes for replies from the others.